A robot is a machine having a shape and functions similar to those of a human being or a machine having an ability of working on something by itself. A robot using an artificial power sometimes works in place of or together with a human being. Generally, a robot is designed to do a work planned by a manufacturer and does a lot of work performed by human beings on behalf of the human beings.
An automated robot performing assembly, welding, handling or the like in a manufacturing factory is referred to as an industrial robot, and a robot having a function of recognizing an environment and making a decision by itself is referred to as an intelligent robot.
A lot of robots are used even at home to help housework. For example, various kinds of products of robot vacuum cleaners are already commercialized, and prices of the products are considerably lowered. Recently, as the value of mental experience such as emotion or communion is emphasized socially, a technique of emotional approach method, as well as increase in the physical accuracy and force, is introduced even in the field of robot. A product introduced in accordance with this trend is a personal robot.
Unlike the industrial robot, the personal robot is a robot targeting an individual to provide a variety of services at home, a medical institution, a general facility or the like. However, a conventional personal robot needs a large number of components such as a driving apparatus, various output devices, various sensors and the like in order to perform a function such as a drive for running, display, recognition of an image, a motion or a voice or the like, and it is difficult to implement the personal robot since controlling the robot is complicated. Particularly, there is a problem in that it is difficult for a general consumer to purchase or use a personal robot since the price thereof increases as the personal robot performs more functions, and thus practicability of the personal robot is lowered.
On the other hand, as a portable smart device such as a smart phone, a smart tablet, a tablet PC or the like secures a position as a necessity of life, interest in harmoniously using such a portable smart device together with a robot is generated.